blue gum

Evergreen tree, aromatic, with young bluish-green leaves and darker adult leaves in the shape of a scythe.

Scientific name: Eucalyptus globulus Labill.

Common names: blue gum, Tasmanian blue gum, common eucalyptus

Family: Myrtaceae

Status in Portugal: invasive species

Note: in Portugal, the most area occupied by this species corresponds to plantations by Man and not natural dispersal/invasion. The species is included as invasive because, on one hand, it has seen its invasive behaviour in many situations in the country and, on the other hand, its wide distribution creates a high propagule pressure which constitutes an increased risk. Additionally, this species is considered invasive in many regions with Mediterranean type-climate.

Risk Assessment score: (in development)

Last update: 01/07/2014

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How to recognise it

Tree of up to 55 m, aromatic, with a light, smooth rhytidome, with distinguished longitudinal strips.

Controlling an invasive species demands a well-planned management, which includes the determination of the invaded area, identifying the causes of invasion, assessing the impacts, defining the intervention priorities, selecting the adequate control methodologies and their application. Afterwards it is fundamental to monitor the efficiency of the methodologies and recuperation of the intervened area as to perform, whenever necessary, the follow-up control.

The control methodologies used for Eucalyptus globulus include:

Physical control

Hand pulling: preferential methodology for seedlings and small plants. When in more compacted substrates, hand pulling must be made during the rainy season as to facilitate the removal of the root system. It should be guaranteed that no stumps and main roots in the ground.

Cut followed by destruction of the stump: preferential methodology for adult plants. Cut of the trunk as close to the ground as possible and posterior destruction of the stump. It should be done before seed maturation.

Physical + chemical control

Cut stump method: applied to adult plants. Cut the trunk as close to the ground as possible and immediately (in the following seconds) apply herbicide (active substance: glyphosate or triclopyr) to the cut stump. If shoots should latter on appear, these should be immediately eliminated by pulling or foliar application of herbicide (active substance: glyphosate or triclopyr). On stumps with shoots that are not possible to cut again (ex. very small surface) cuts may be made of +/- 45º overlapped on the vertical surface with the active vascular cambium nd apply there the herbicide (active substance: glyphosate or triclopyr).

Chemical control

Foliar application of herbicide: applied on young sprouts of 1 to 1,5 m high. It should be done upon the plant’s greatest growth rate. Spray with herbicide (active substance: glyphosate or triclopyr) limiting as much as possible its application to the target species.

Visit the webpage How to Control for additional and more detailed information about the correct application of these methodologies.

Invasive Plants

Many ecosystems in Portugal are deeply affected by invasive species, either animal or plants. This means considerable economical losses, huge impacts on biodiversity, changes in the ecosystems services and even public health issues.

Our goal is to explain this problem, educating not only the common citizen but also specialized technicians to recognize and control invasive species.